From April 17-22, two major events for the Trinitarian Family were celebrated in the Kingdom of Bahrain: the 25th anniversary of the General SIT and the Permanent Council of the Trinitarian Family (COPEFAT).

For the 25th anniversary of SIT, the choice of Bahrain was not accidental.

In fact, in order to put back at the center, the root of our charism, that is, the issue of Christian persecution and religious freedom, it had been ardently desired to celebrate this anniversary in a land where Christians are a minority, that is, a place where, in a different world, Christians may have some freedom of belief.

This is the big difference between Bahrain and the surrounding countries. In addition, Bahrain, with the presence of Monsignor Aldo Berardi, Apostolic Vicar for Northern Arabia, offered all the conditions for these commemorative activities to take place.

Given the restrictions on access to Bahrain, only a limited number of participants attended. But we must also thank the large number of Major Superiors who were willing to be present at this important meeting. In the 25 years of the SIT’s existence, in addition to the multifaceted aid to persecuted Christians, we consider, the establishment of a week of prayer for persecuted Christians (October 17 to 23 each year), the recovery of the figure of the Procurator of the Redemption in our Constitutions, and, thanks to the extension of the SIT network to the 30 countries where the Trinitarian Family is present, there is the constant commitment to enhance the relevance of our charism.

The stay of the participants, these days in Bahrain, was taken by work sessions during which the activity of SIT was evaluated and an outline of the future of this organization, the only one that, concretely involves the whole Trinitarian Family; a meeting with local authorities and visits to Islamic and other religious sites. The closing of this meeting, marking 25 years of SIT, took place in a solemn Eucharistic celebration, in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali, presided over by Bishop Aldo Berardi, in the presence of all the participants.

Immediately afterwards, the meeting of the Permanent Council of the Trinitarian Family was held, which was attended by the Minister General, the Mothers General, the President of the General Secretariat for the Family, and the International President of the Trinitarian Laity. The Mother General of the Trinitarian Women Religious of Valence, who was absent due to not being granted a visa, had been replaced by the representative of the SIT of the Valence Congregation.